Friday, April 04, 2008

This article in the Globe and Mail asks why know iPhone in Canada, is it because Apple doesn't think much of Canada?

How about, the major wireless provider who can handle the iPhone doesn't want to play by Apple's rules.

Rogers is the only one that can provide and they don't want to offer the same deal as ATT has given iPhone users.

One comment in the article:

Most experts, however, believe that the high rates Canadian telecom providers charge for mobile Internet data transfer plans are the biggest factor keeping the iPhone out of Canada.

They could push it, but I think they are dealing with a company that is not used to cooperating. The telecos are the ones that make the rules in Canada, and an upstart like Apple can't come in and tell THEM what to do.

Another commentator mentioned this fact:

the iPhone is at its best where there are liberal data usage policies through the local service provider. It is a documented fact that Canada has one of the worst rates for cellular data usage in the developed world. The elephant in the room there is that Rogers Telecomm has a lock of GSM networks in Canada and is probably refusing to alter its cash-cow data plans to suit the integrity of Apple's product. Corporations in the US and Europe have changed their data plans in order to carry Apple's products. The lack of competition in the GSM space allows Rogers to get away with this here.

Rogers only understands one thing and that is to make bushels of money from the consumer.